Coco Gauff has admitted to feeling “overwhelmed” after her surprising first-round defeat at Wimbledon. The reigning French Open champion was knocked out of the competition by Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska, losing 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.
Disappointment and Reflection
Gauff expressed her disappointment with her performance, saying she didn’t like losing and felt she could have played better. “I definitely was struggling in the locker room. I don’t like losing. I just feel a little bit disappointed in how I showed up today,” Gauff said. She acknowledged that she was particularly frustrated with her performance in the tiebreaker.
Overwhelmed After French Open Win
The 21-year-old Gauff admitted that she felt “a little bit overwhelmed with everything that came afterwards” her French Open victory. She explained that she didn’t feel like she had enough time to celebrate her win and then refocus on Wimbledon. “I didn’t feel like I had enough time to celebrate and also get back into it,” Gauff stated. She recognized this as a learning experience, particularly regarding managing the transition from winning a Grand Slam to competing at Wimbledon.
Transitioning from Clay to Grass
Gauff also pointed to the difficulty of transitioning from the clay courts of the French Open to the grass courts of Wimbledon. She noted that she might have benefited from playing more matches on grass to better adapt to the surface. “I just feel like the surface I maybe could have used more matches,” Gauff said. She also mentioned the possibility of playing in tournaments like Bad Homburg or Eastbourne in the future to gain more experience on grass. The quick turnaround between the French Open and Wimbledon has proven challenging for many players, with Serena Williams being the last woman to win both in the same season a decade ago.
Looking Ahead
Despite the disappointing loss, Gauff is determined not to dwell on it for too long. She is focused on preparing for the US Open and sees the early Wimbledon exit as an opportunity to reset. “I’m not gonna dwell on this too long because I want to do well at the U.S. Open. Maybe losing here in the first round isn’t the worst thing in the world because I have time to reset,” she said.
Match Details
Gauff’s match against Yastremska was moved from Centre Court to Court No. 1 with short notice. While Gauff acknowledged the late change, she didn’t believe it affected the outcome of the match. Yastremska played a strong match, with Gauff struggling to find her footing. Gauff had 29 unforced errors, including nine double faults. Her serve, which is usually a strong part of her game, was inconsistent. Gauff only managed to get 45% of her first serves in play.
Upsets at Wimbledon
Gauff’s loss was one of several upsets in the early days of Wimbledon. Other top seeds, including Jessica Pegula and Zheng Qinwen, also suffered early exits. In total, 23 seeds were out before the first round was even completed.
No Comment! Be the first one.